Rosa Jean Chance Johnson

Rosa Jean Chance Johnson was born in Carteret County on March 20, 1940, and passed away at her New Bern home on May 9, 2025. She was preceded in death by her father Joseph Chance, her husband Jimmie Johnson, her sister Doris Dye, and her mother Virginia Chance.

She is survived by her brother Joseph Chance, Jr. (Judy), daughters Anita Harris (Bernard) and Virginia Gambino (Joey); grandchildren Joseph, Angela, and Laura; and great-grandchild Cillian.

Rosa graduated from New Bern High School and attended the Women’s College of the University of North Carolina (now UNC Greensboro). She married her first husband in 1960 and moved to California after the wedding. Their daughters were born in 1961 and 1965. Rosa and her children moved back to North Carolina around 1973 where she lived in close proximity to her mother, siblings, aunts, nephews, and cousins. Soon after, she attended East Carolina University to earn both a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree and started teaching.

In the late 1970s she met the love of her life, Jimmie (Jim) Johnson, a meteorologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They married in 1990. She taught elementary school in and around Craven County and was well regarded by her students; she retired in the 1990s. Her three grandchildren were born in that decade.

Together with Jim, she traveled widely in and out of the country, including Myrtle Beach, Hawaii, the UK, France, Greece, Italy, and Aruba. She always liked to stay busy and to go see and do things. She and Jim had many happy years together, but sadly he passed away in 2006 after a struggle with esophageal cancer.

Rosa spent the last couple decades of her life tending to her yard, including her azaleas, singing in the choir at Centenary United Methodist Church, and spending time with family and friends. With her loved ones she enjoyed playing games, especially Liverpool rummy and canasta. She was quite a social butterfly. When she was with people she was in her element and she shone. A frequent occurrence when accompanying her to an event would be joining her at the end to be introduced to everyone she knew.

She was also a fantastic hostess and dessert preparer. For many years she hosted large parties at her house on Christmas Eve. She was never one to sit around and was constantly up and catering to her houseguests. Some of her specialties were tres leches cake, peanut butter pie, orange fluff salad, and chocolate chip cookies.

Her appearance was always a great pride of hers. Even to just go to the grocery store she would dress up. When out, she was almost always adorned with her rings and necklaces. She also was rarely without her fingernails and toenails painted, right to the end of her life.

In her final decades, she fought a fierce battle with Parkinson’s disease. She exercised diligently, which for years helped her stave off the most physically debilitating aspects of the disease. When she would walk around the block in her neighborhood, she often outpaced the younger people walking with her. Her determination kept her going strong longer than many others who suffer from Parkinson’s.

If there is one thing to say about Rosa, it was that she was not to be overcome. She was persistent, tenacious, and a go-getter. If there was something she wanted she was going to put the work in to get it, and most of the time she succeeded. She knew what she was going to do and was not to be swayed. She had a presence in one’s life that would not be forgotten or dismissed. And she will not be forgotten—whether that be through a photo or an anecdote, she will be remembered by those who loved her for years to come.

The family wants to thank Barbara Forrest, Karen Hodges, JoAnn Anderson, and all the others who helped care for Rosa during her final years.

The funeral will be held on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 at 2:00 PM at Cotten Funeral Home, located at 2201 Neuse Blvd, New Bern, NC 28560. The family will receive friends immediately afterward at Rosa’s home.

Memorials may be given to Centenary United Methodist Church or the Parkinson’s Foundation.

Cotten Funeral Home is honored to serve the family and friends of Rosa Jean Chance Johnson.